


Day 2: Memory Loss

by DiannaPhantom27



Series: Olivarry Week 2017 [2]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Confused Barry, Drugs, M/M, Memory Loss, References to Drugs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-12-01 03:53:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11478054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DiannaPhantom27/pseuds/DiannaPhantom27
Summary: Large amounts of Vertigo seem so have unforeseen effects on Speedsters.





	Day 2: Memory Loss

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I'm still behind. I will probably behind all week. Shrugs. Tis life. 
> 
> This story is also on my Tumblr ([DiannaPhantomFiction](https://diannaphantomfiction.tumblr.com/)) account.

Oliver stood in the center of the cortex, shoulders tighter than usual, arms crossed, jaw tense, and his mask hanging around his neck. There wasn’t much he could do as he watched Caitlin work frantically on Barry’s unconscious form. This wasn’t supposed to go down like this. It was never supposed to go down like this, yet more often than not, their team-ups always seemed to end right here; Barry lying in that hospital bed that he almost spent more time in than his own bed and Oliver unable to help.

“He’ll be alright.” Cisco said softly, his attempt to comfort Oliver being ineffective considering he didn’t seem so sure of it himself.

“He better be,” Oliver growled, “Or I’m going to put an arrow through the Count’s eye like I should have the first time I met him.”

“I didn’t hear you say that…” Joe muttered, rubbing his forehead.

Diggle and Felicity were standing stubbornly between Oliver and his bow, daring him to try to pick it up before Barry was stabilized. The rational part of Oliver’s mind knew that this was a good idea. He needed to be thinking straight before he went after the Count again or he’d just end up on a cot next to Barry.

The part of his brain that recognized that his boyfriend was lying in a hospital bed unconscious from a massive Vertigo over dose and could have permanent brain damage didn’t see it that way, though. That part of his brain was figuring out the best way to disable Diggle, get his bow, and jump out the window before anyone could stop him.

It was fifteen more minutes before Caitlin came out of the little area set aside for medical care. Sweat had caused her eyeliner to run a little and she had licked the lipstick off her lips.

“He’s still on the mend, but he’s stable now,” She said, glancing around the roomful gathered people before settling her gaze on Oliver, “We won’t be sure about any brain damage until he wakes up.”

“That much pure Vertigo causes brain damage,” Felicity whispered, eyes wide and shining with damp, unshed tears.

“It’s possible his body will heal itself completely before he wakes up. We’ve also never seen anything that Barry hasn’t been able to heal from. Even if he does have brain damage, the chances of him healing from it are high.”

“If that was supposed to make me feel better, it doesn’t.” Oliver pushed past the doctor, grabbed Cisco’s regular chair, and took up vigil beside Barry’s sleeping form.

Sleeping wasn’t quiet the right word. He was still sweating, cheeks pale, the withdraw fever already having set in. His bottom lip was shacking, his eyebrows pinched together tensely, and his eyes clenched closed instead of resting softly.

Oliver had actually dozed off into a micro sleep when he heard a soft groan from Barry’s bed. The archer opened his eyes and jumped up to Barry side as the speedster shifted and slowly pried his eyes open.

“Wha…?” Barry blinked slowly a few times, “Who? Where?”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. You’re safe.”

Barry looked up at him eyes clouded and pupils blown too wide seeing as he was under harsh fluorescent lights. “What?”

“Barry, you were injected with five times the standard dose of pure Vertigo.”

“Vertigo?”

“Yeah, Barry. Vertigo.”

Caitlin rushed in and Barry looked at her with as much confusion and fear as he had looked at Oliver with just a few seconds ago. “What’s going on?”

“I just need to check on a few things, Barry,” Caitlin said in a gentle, calming voice, “Is that okay?”

Barry nodded slowly and Caitlin got to work, checking his pupil dilation, temperature, heartbeat, and a few other things Oliver couldn’t place from just watching.

“What’s going on? Who are you guys?”

Caitlin froze, slowly taking her stethoscope out of her ears and stared her friend. Oliver’s heart skipped a full three beats.

“Barry?” Caitlin inched just a little closer, “Can I ask you some questions?”

Oliver listened with dread, resisting the urge to grab his boyfriend’s hand every time he answered one of Caitlin’s questions. He did well on the general questions, he knew the date, who the president was, things about technology, but as soon as the questions got more and more personal, Barry grew more distressed. He didn’t know his birthday, where he lived, the names of his family members, where he went to college, where he worked. The list went on until Barry realized he didn’t know his full name and the only reason he knew his name was Barry was because that was what Caitlin and Oliver had called him.

Caitlin called it retrograde amnesia.

“Uh, sorry, but, who are you?” Barry asked Oliver as Caitlin as she went outside to inform everyone else.

“I’m Oliver.”

“And we’re…?”

“Partners,” Oliver answered quickly with their preferred term before he realized that might confuse Barry more, “Boyfriends. We’re boyfriends.”

Barry’s face fell even more (a true feat), “I’m sorry. I don’t…”

“I know. It’s okay, you can’t help it.”

The first thing Caitlin did was reintroduce Barry to everyone waiting outside. Joe gave Barry a little pause when he was introduced as Barry’s father and Barry even checked his hand to see his skin color, which would have been funny if he hadn’t looked so concerned. He took everything in stride, though, all things considered.

Oliver pulled Caitlin aside as Eddie, Cisco, and Felicity tried to explain some things to Barry, but only seemed to be seceding in confusing him more.

“How long before he gets his memory back?”

Caitlin sighed, “It’s not that simple, Oliver… With his healing powers, likely within a few days, but there’s no guarantee.”

Oliver huffed and pulled a hand down his face, “Can I at least take him home?”

Caitlin peered around Oliver to where Diggle was ushering Cisco and Felicity away from and overwhelmed Barry and a confused Eddie.

“That might actually be for the best.”

 

* * *

 

 

Barry followed Oliver into the small apartment the two shared whenever Oliver was in Central and started looking around curiously. He’d calmed down significantly during the drive back.

“Who’s this?”

Oliver glanced at the picture Barry was looking at. There weren’t many around just a few Felicity, Iris, and Thea had insisted on hanging up, a couple of the Allens and Oliver with his mother, and some of their respective family-teams.  

“That’s my sister, Thea. She lives in Starling.”

“Oh,” Barry looked at the pictures for a couple more seconds before turning back to Oliver. “So, what exactly were you wearing earlier?”

“What do you mean?”

“That all green leather outfit? I’m pretty sure I didn’t imagine that.”

Oliver took a deep breath, “That’s… difficult to explain.”

“What are you a serial killer?” Barry’s face fell and he actually looked scared, “You’re not a serial killer are you?”

Oliver chuckled, “No, Barry. I’m not a serial killer. Like I said it’s difficult to explain. Why don’t we get some food in you and get some rest? I promise I’ll explain everything tomorrow.”

Barry nodded, “Alright. I am pretty hungry…”

Oliver kissed Barry’s cheek without thinking and went over to the fridge to pull out the leftover casserole Joe always seemed to be throwing at them. Oliver put it in the oven and turned back to find Barry sitting at the island, brushing his fingers where Oliver had kissed him.

Oliver took a deep breath. He could do this.

**Author's Note:**

> Did you enjoy? Leave a comment below or hit me up on Tumblr and let me know! I love to talk to my readers!


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